Resolve to Better Your Brain

After careful deliberation, I have chosen two New Year’s resolutions that have nothing to do with how I look, yet will better both me and the world. Last year, just to do something doable, I chose to light every candle in my house, which was easy enough to do; considering that I also make a list of 100 goals to do between one birthday and the next (my birthday was in November, and my list is already 14% complete), I think a simple resolution is fair!

In 2012, I vow to do two simple things each and every day. Now, I must warn you against every day vows; they are the hardest to keep. The trick to them is to forgive yourself if you miss a day and to go ahead with the next day without beating yourself up! Whether it’s with exercise or eating healthy, vowing to smile at a stranger every day or to do an act of kindness, we’re going to have days when we can’t for some reason—or we are simply so busy it doesn’t happen—and that’s okay. Just get back on the horse again tomorrow, right?

I actually already know that these are doable because I used to do them both every day before my daughter was born. Now that she is six and using the computer herself, I can even get her involved with me in both of my resolutions—and I know she will enjoy them as well.

I was inspired for resolution 1 by the Alzheimer’s Association book I received recently. Keeping our minds active and limber should be a high priority, I think. And when I went onto Care2.com today I realized that I only click once in a while, while it used to be the first thing I did daily. I would love to add up enough butterflies to earn something really big; I have a tendency to “spend” mine as soon as they are available, which limits what I can do with them.

I would also love to finally finish my Year and a Day, complete my morning pages every day, and so many other things, but I know that those take more time and I haven’t been successful with them for more than three months straight yet. Perhaps for 2013…